22 May 2014, Kiev, Ukraine
Today is the scheduled Board Meeting for Father’s House, held three times a year. I am invited to attend as a guest, but I will miss most of it because two other amazing meeting opportunities open up.
The first meeting is with the Deputy Director of the Kiev Health Department, Alexander Vasilyevich Kurmyshov. Mr. Vasilyevich oversees the adult health needs of 8,000,000 in Kiev and surrounding areas, including 55,000 doctors and nurses, and 160 hospitals. The meeting has been arranged by Pastor Phillip Barnett, pastor of Christ Cathedral, where Mr. Vasilyevich has been the church administrator for 20 years.
The purpose of the meeting is to explore whether there might be one or more children in Kiev who would benefit from surgery in the United States. I have met a contact in the US who has heard about the plight of some of the children in Kiev and spontaneously offered to sponsor bringing one or more children to the US for surgeries.
Pastor Phillip and his wife Masha (Maria) attend the meeting, along with Anna Nikitenko, the finance administrator for Ezra International in Kiev. Masha and Anna translate.
Mr. Vasilyevich’s responsibilities are especially demanding right now. Thousands were wounded in the recent events at Maidan, most of whom became his responsibility. He had to separate police and protestors into two different hospitals. His office, usually part of the Mayor’s offices, is unavailable to him because it is occupied by protestors. He and his staff are working out of temporary facilities on folding tables.
The meeting is wonderful. Mr. Vasilyevich is gracious and genuinely interested. He and Pastor Phillip agree to begin vetting potential candidates. Within a day after the meeting, they have identified two children for this opportunity.
After the meeting Pastor Phillip, Masha, Anna and I have lunch in an excellent Italian restaurant, only it’s not really in Italy. Out of the blue Pastor Phillip asks me if I’m preaching anywhere that Sunday. I can safely say that no one has ever before asked me if I’m preaching anywhere the following Sunday. When I tell him no, he amazingly and generously asks if I would like to preach for him at his church. I gratefully accept, having told no one that God had a week before put on my heart a message to share, specifically relevant to Ukraine and its current straight, if given a place to share it. This has been only a matter of private prayer. It is not lost on me that Sunday is the day of the national election.
The second meeting is at the US Embassy. Having just heard of the plight of orphans in eastern Kiev literally caught in the cross-fire, I have sought out a meeting at the Embassy. Initial inquiries result in polite referrals to the automated appointment system on the website. No timely appointments are available. Three or four phone calls later a very helpful representative refers me to the Human Rights Officer in the Political Section. Mr. Douglas Boudreau answers his own phone and agrees to see me on virtually no notice.
Mr. Boudreau is keenly interested in the plight of the orphans and asks many perceptive questions. What can be done in this complicated environment and time is unclear. One potential outcome is for US officials to influence Ukrainian counterparts to increase their awareness of the orphans’ plight and include the orphans’ welfare in political and military strategies. I come away satisfied I have done all I can for now to raise awareness with those in a position to act.
Later I join up with the Father’s House Board and report on these meetings. The Chair of the Father’s House Board is Steve Weber. Steve is an US ex pat living in Kiev. He is the Regional Director for Russia and Ukraine for CBN, and is also on the Board of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans. Steve agrees to continue to liaise with Mr. Boudreau.
Access to these two officials is particularly remarkable at this time because of the continuing political crisis and the national election just three days away. We have a definite sense of God’s favor and timing, and trust Him for the outcomes of these matters.
~~~